Orbital ATK Successfully Launched Two GQM-163A Coyote Targets for the U.S. Navy

Source : http://www.navyrecognition.com 

 

Orbital ATK, Inc. a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, successfully launched two GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Target Vehicles for the U.S. Navy, marking the 47th and 48th mission of Coyote program since its inception 15 years ago. “The recent flight test showcases the robustness of the Coyote target and the commitment of our team to the success of our customer’s mission,” said Keven Leith, Orbital ATK’s Senior Director of Navy Programs. “We are proud to provide an important capability to the Navy that is critical to the defense of this country.”
   
The launches took place from San Nicolas Island, which is part of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), Point Mugu Sea Test Range, which is responsible for testing and evaluating weapons systems for all branches of the military and allied forces.

The Coyote target vehicle is based on a ramjet propulsion system that is integrated into a compact missile airframe measuring 18 feet long and 14 inches in diameter. Rail-launched from naval test and training ranges, the highly maneuverable Coyote has two optional flight trajectories: “sea skimmer” and “high-diver.” This test was flown as a high-diver mission in which the Coyote ascended to approximately 35,000 feet, reaching Mach 3.3 cruise speed under ramjet power, and then executed a planned 40-degree unpowered dive to its objective point near the ocean’s surface at the end of its 110 mile journey.

“A high-diver test truly showcases the full capability and flexibility of this system,” said Leith.

Throughout the history of the program, Coyote targets have been successfully launched from three sites including San Nicolas Island in the Point Mugu Test Range, the Pacific Missile Range on Kauai, Hawaii, and Ile du Levant near the French Mediterranean coast. In addition, the GQM-163A Coyote will launch from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico this summer.

The Coyote program is managed by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), based at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. Launches are managed by the Pacific Target and Marine Operations Division (PTMO) NAWCWD in Point Mugu, California.

Orbital ATK was awarded an initial development contract in 2000 to meet the U.S. Navy’s requirement for an affordable system to simulate high-speed anti-ship cruise missiles for fleet training and weapon systems research, development, test and evaluation. Development and five flight tests were conducted from the start of the contract to when the program became operational in 2005.

Since that time, Orbital ATK has received multiple orders from the U.S. Navy, as well as orders from the Royal Australian Navy, French, Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) and Japan, Technical Research Development Institute (TRDI). Approximately 120 units have been ordered to date, of which 97 have been delivered to customers. The company has supported 48 Coyote launches that include 11 flight tests or demonstration launches and 37 operational missions. Of these 37 operational launches, seven have been "high diver" trajectories with the remaining 30 being sea skimmer trajectories.

The development and manufacturing of the Coyote vehicles occurs at Orbital ATK’s production facility in Chandler, Arizona. Orbital ATK’s major subcontractors include Aerojet Corporation in Gainesville, Virginia and Sacramento, California for the solid-fuel ducted-rocket motor, and Goodrich Sensors & Integrated Systems in Vergennes, Vermont for the vehicle’s fin actuation system.

India's Tank Plan Clouds Future of Arjun

Source : http://www.defensenews.com

NEW DELHI — The Indian Army's plan to develop and build a medium-weight main battle tank to replace more than 2,500 Russian T-72s has raised questions about the future of the homemade Arjun tank and likely would kill a decade-old proposal by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to build a tank, according to analysts and officials.

The Indian Army this month floated a global request for information to seek partners to design the new tank under a program called Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV). As a medium-weight platform it would weigh 40-plus tons, compared with the Arjun, which weighs 60 tons.

"The proposed FRCV is in the medium category and is more likely to be around the T-90 platform than the Arjun Mark-II platform, which is getting close to the medium-heavy/heavy category," said Anil Chait, retired Indian Army lieutenant general. "Designing and developing the product around proposed qualitative requirements afresh would suggest that we may be looking toward the end of the Arjun saga," he said.

However, Rahul Bhonsle, a retired Army brigadier general and defense analyst, said the Arjun will progress from the current Mark-1 level to Mark-3.

"The lead time for the FRCV to be manufactured, if all goes well, is likely to be approximately 15 years or so. This provides adequate scope for the Arjun series to be progressed to at least Mark-3. Moreover, there is a need in the Indian Army for an Arjun class of tank."

While no Ministry of Defence official would comment on the fate of the decade-old Futuristic Main Battle Tank (FMBT) project to be developed by DRDO, an Army official said FRCV has "surely killed" the FMBT.

The FMBT, intended to be in the 50-plus ton category, was also meant to replace the T-72s.

"The FRCV seems to be a completely new project which possibly junks the FMBT, which was being worked upon by the DRDO or may be a lead to the developing agency to add on to the existing work that has already been done on the same," Bhonsle said.

"I surely see Americans, Russians, French, Germans, Koreans and British participating along with Indian companies in stand-alone or joint venture mode. We could see leading companies from there which are involved with tank design, participating in it," Chait said.

Unlike the earlier tank effort, the FRCV does not restrict production to the DRDO. Domestic defense companies in tie-ups with overseas defense companies can serve as the production agencies.

"As this is an open competition, private agencies could also be roped in to develop the tank. The best option would be for DRDO designing and developing the same with a foreign partner as it is best placed technically to do so. For an Indian private company in collaboration with a foreign partner it would be a Greenfield venture," where the foreign company would construct new facilities for the project, Bhonsle said.

The Army plans to begin induction of the basic FRCV by 2025-27, which would be the platform on which numerous variants would be developed to serve different functions. These variants will include a tracked light tank, a wheeled version, a bridge layer tank, a trawl tank and mine plows, armored recovery vehicle, self-propelled gun, anti-aircraft tank, artillery observation vehicle, engineer reconnaissance vehicle, and armored ambulance.

According to the request for information, FRCV will be executed in three stages: design, prototype developmental and production.

The request says the design agency and developing agency can be separate entities. The best design will be chosen and given to the nominated development agency for prototype production. The selected prototype will be given to the production agency or agencies for bulk production.

Shankar Roy Chowdhury, retired Army general and former service chief, said the paramount requirement for the tank is survivability.

"Russian designers sought to achieve this [survivability] by smaller size [three-man crew and lighter armor], lower profile and speed. The West preferred larger turrets, hence thicker armor, heavier tanks. The test for both designs has been the Arab-Israeli wars and the gulf war. The Russian designs did not do too well. Blame that on the crews if you like," Roy Chowdhury said.

The most important requirement, however, is that the future FRCV must be indigenously designed, Roy Chowdhury said.

Russia’s 4th Varshavyanka class submarine delivered to Vietnam

Source : http://tass.ru/en

HANOI, June 30. /TASS/. The fourth of a total of six Varshavyanka class submarines of Project 636.1 that Vietnam ordered from Russia has been delivered to Cam Ranh Port in the central part of the country on Tuesday.

The Da Nang submarine was transported by the Dutch heavy load carrier vessel Rolldok Star. Its unloading and the submarine’s putting afloat will be carried out within the next two days after all the necessary administrative formalities and customs documentation execution are completed.

To date, Vietnam’s naval forces include the first three boats supplied by Russia - the Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Haiphong. The submarines equipped with the standard package are supplied to the Vietnamese side with the Club-S missile strike system.

The delivery to the customer of the entire batch of the boats that are built at Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg is planned to be completed in 2016.

Russia is a traditional partner of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) in the sphere of military-technical cooperation. In recent years the sides have signed contracts worth more than $4.5 billion on the supply of Russia’s newest weapons to Vietnam. The most significant deals were the contract on the supply of a batch of the Sukhoi Su-30MK2 fighters to Vietnam, which is estimated at some $1 billion, and a $2 billion contract on the sale of 6 Varshavyanka class submarines to Vietnam.

This year, Russia will deliver to Vietnam 10 Sukhoi Su-30MK2 fighters, and so the number of this type of aircraft in the Vietnamese People’s Army will reach to 36.

According to the Vietnamese government, Vietnam’s annual defence spending amounts to some $1.5 billion, which is equivalent to 1.8% of national GDP.

The TSB started the final round of consultations on the Russian-Mongolian planning exercises "Selenge 2015"

Source : http://function.mil.ru

06/30/2015 (5:31) The TSB started the final round of consultations on the Russian-Mongolian planning exercises "Selenge 2015"

In the Eastern Military District (VZV) started the final round of consultations on the preparation of a joint Russian-Mongolian military exercise "Selenga-2015."

In the final planning of the conference, which began in the capital of Trans-Baikal Territory, Chita, representatives of the Eastern Military District and the Armed Forces of Mongolia will hold reconnaissance (study) area of ​​future scientists, land water hazard, accommodation field camp, station loading (unloading) of arms and military equipment, the route of their movement in the area of ​​teaching.

Final Protocol of negotiations on the preparation of the teaching will be signed on July 2nd.

In the past planning conference held in Ulan-Ude (Buryatia) and Ulan Bator (Mongolia), the parties have agreed that the joint military exercise "Selenga-2015" will take place at the training complex BBO "Tsugol" (Trans-Baikal Region) from 19 to 27 August this year.

Arrival Armed Forces of Mongolia involved in teaching, scheduled on August 17 this year, the grand opening of exercises planned for August 19 sg ..

The exercise combined group of forces of Russia and Mongolia will work together tactical actions during anti-terrorist operations with tactical landings and forcing water barriers.

Recall that in the joint Russian-Mongolian military exercise "Selenga-2015" from the Eastern Military District will participate tank battalion, mechanized infantry company, a mortar, self-propelled artillery and rocket batteries division flamethrower, sniper, reconnaissance, and NBC protection. There are about 90 pieces of weapons and military equipment, including two Su-25, a pair of Mi-8 helicopters AMTSH couple - Mi-24 from the Armed Forces of Mongolia 54 units of AME.

From the Mongolian Armed Forces will participate in the maneuvers tactical grouping infantry battalion, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, tanks, T-72, BM-21 MLRS, mortars.

By the maneuvers planned to involve about 850 soldiers from both sides.

International exercise "Selenga-2015" will be devoted to the 70th anniversary of the Victory in World War II

Another Eight Ships, Two Subs to Reinforce Russian Navy in 2015

Source : http://sputniknews.com

Eight ships and two subs will join the ranks of the Russian Navy by 2016 meaning that the arms procurement plan is running smoothly.

The Russian Navy will receive eight warships and two submarines by the end of 2015 in accordance with the state arms procurement plan, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Monday.

The two diesel-electric subs will join the ranks of the Black Sea Fleet. Among the eight ships, the minister mentioned the corvette Sovershenny (Perfect) and the first frigate Admiral Gorshkov.

Corvette Sovershenny, which floated out on May 22, is the first ship to join the Russian Pacific Fleet in the 21st century. It is a multirole guard vessel designed to combat an enemy's ships and submarines, as well as support marines with artillery.

The ship is armed with a complex of anti-ship missiles Uran (NATO name "Switchblade"), an air defense system Redoubt, three artillery cannons, eight torpedoes, and pads for machineguns and grenade launchers, and can carry one Ka-27 helicopter.

Frigate Admiral Gorshkov was launched in 2010. It will enter the service in the Northern Fleet. The frigate is armed with an A-192 130mm naval gun, launch units for 16 Oniks and Kalibr anti-ship missiles, an air defense system Redoubt, two close-in Palash weapon systems, as well as anti-ship missiles, and has a helipad for a Ka-27.

Minister Shoigu said that 10 motor boats already joined the Russian Navy in 2015.

He added that 45 facilities will be built for the Russian Navy.

New Silk Road Ruins US Military Plans to Impose Blockade of China

Source : http://sputniknews.com

Beijing's One Belt, One Road initiative, a viable alternative to China's vulnerable sea routes through the South China Sea, is aimed at bolstering China's economy and preventing the US from imposing a distant blockade of the country, Stratfor notes.

China's Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative is not just a "sum of infrastructural projects," but rather a carefully thought-out strategy aimed at pursuing China's geopolitical objectives in Eurasia, Stratfor's analysts pointed out.

Beijing's "Belt and Road" will be in fact a sum of six transport corridors across Eurasia, comprising of both land and maritime components, the analysts elaborated.

"The strategy behind the Belt and Road Initiative is to diversify transit lines, thereby mitigating China's vulnerability to external economic disruption and reinvigorating China's slowing economy. Ideally, China would like to link its inland cities to global markets with a diversified network of transit routes and energy pipelines, many of which would take inland routes and serve as alternatives to existing sea-lanes," the Stratfor report stated.

Since China's economy is heavily reliant on foreign trade and energy supplies through the country's "vulnerable" sea routes, it would be "relatively easy" for a potential adversary to disrupt China's trade and block the country.

"US war planners have certainly not ignored China's geographic vulnerability… In the case of a war between the United States and China, many US strategists favor imposing a distant blockade of Chinese waters," the analysts pointed out.

Thus far, by launching the Belt and Road initiative Beijing is seeking to mitigate such a risk, constructing a network of transit routes across Eurasia in order to avoid a "single point of failure."

Beijing is planning to improve existing transportation networks, build new ones and construct new energy pipelines and transport hubs. Remarkably, China has already built a number of such hubs in Eurasia and now it will have to simply link existing segments of infrastructure into a comprehensive network.

"The Belt and Road investments will also serve to build political support for China. Many countries along the proposed transportation corridors face huge budget shortfalls in the area of infrastructure development, together totaling trillions of dollars between 2010 and 2020," the Stratfor report read, adding that "with its large financial resources, China is well poised to fill some of these gaps."

The analysts underscored that China may face certain security and political obstacles while accomplishing its ambitious project. For instance, Beijing will have to build a number of transport routes through undeveloped and troublesome regions. Furthermore, China is also facing a substantial threat posed by Xinjiang separatist insurgents, the analysts noted.

However, if China succeeds in implementing the Belt and Road project it will obtain several alternatives to its vulnerable South China Sea-lanes that "would greatly complicate potential US plans to impose a distant blockade" in an instance of war.

"Inland transit routes would naturally be insulated against naval interdiction, and the proliferation of short maritime transit legs would force the US Navy to spread its assets over a large expanse rather than concentrate on a small number of chokepoints. In peacetime, these options would enhance China's political leverage by preventing any individual country from threatening to disrupt China's economic lifelines," Stratfor's analysts concluded.

The crash of the SpaceX CRS-7 Falcon 9 rocket played into the hands of Russia

Source : http://sputniknews.com

The crash of the SpaceX CRS-7 Falcon 9 rocket played into the hands of Russia, since the Russian-made Soyuz remains the main servicer of the International Space Station (ISS), Breitbart reported.

The Falcon 9 rocket exploded just three minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX rocket was carrying the Dragon cargo ship with supplies for the ISS. According to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the explosion happened due to excess pressure in the liquid oxygen tank.

© AP PHOTO/ JOHN RAOUX

Program for ISS Mission Remains Unchanged Despite SpaceX Crash - Roscosmos

NATO contracted SpaceX for $1.6 billion to fly at least 12 unmanned re-supply missions to the ISS. The failed mission was an attempt to deliver a water purifier, as well as an extra docking port adapter, food, research data and one extra space suit.

Although astronauts at the space station have enough water and supplies to last for several months, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden described the explosion of the rocket as a "significant setback" to the re-supply program, Breitbart said.

Currently, the incident is under investigation to find out what went wrong with the CRS-7 Falcon 9 rocket. Until the investigation is complete SpaceX won't be able to fly missions to the ISS.

The next cargo delivery flight will be launched from the Baikanur station in Kazakhstan this Friday after Russian officials re-scheduled it from August 3 to July 3.

French Navy ATL2 MPA Can Now Self Designate GBU-12 Laser-Guided Bombs With MX-20 System

Source : http://www.navyrecognition.com

 

The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that on 18 June 2015, two Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol crews were qualified to GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bomb shooting procedures with self-designation. This flight marked the end of a training course which confronted crews to modern technologies used in air-to-ground support missions thanks to the Wescam MX-20D electro-optical turret fitted on ATL2 Standard V.
   
The mission took place on the Biscarosse range in south-western France. These qualification firings were made under the French procurement agency (DGA) control for the trajectory of the ammunition and respect of shooting conditions. The French Navy (CENTEX PATSIMAR) was in charge of crews compliance with dedicated procedures. According to the French Navy, the GBU-12 shooting was a success.

The French Navy operates 22 ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft in two "Flotilles" (equivalent to the US Navy's Patrol Squadrons): 21F and 23F. A small number of these aircraft received a Wescam MX-20D EO/IR system as part of an upgrade to increase the ISR capabilities of the platform, especially when conducting missions over desert area. ATL2 crews operate regularly over such areas in support of French ground forces and special forces (as illustrated recently in operations over Mali or Iraq

In October 2013 the French Ministry of Defence awarded Dassault Aviation and Thales a contract for the modernisation of 15 ATL2s. The upgrade will consist in a new radar, the Thales Search Master, new IFF, latest-generation digital acoustic processing subsystem, a new core system... and MX-20D systems for all 15 platforms. The upgrade programme will improve the ATL2's ability to deal with new and emerging threats under all weather conditions, both in strategic deterrence roles and in asymmetric conflicts involving quiet and stealthy submarines, high-speed craft, land vehicles, etc. The aircraft will be equipped to remain in operational service beyond 2030.

The ATL2 can deploy Exocet AM-39 anti-ship missiles for anti-surface warfare, MU90 torpedo and sonobuoys for anti-submarine warfare. The new ability to self-designated GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bombs will allow ATL2 crews to operate on their own: They won't require "buddy lazing" from troops on the ground or from a jet equipped with a laser designation pod. 

During the Paris Air Show 2015 held a couple weeks ago, Paul Jennison, Vice President of government sales and business development at Wescam told Navy Recognition "Only Wescam offers an imaging system like the MX-20D. It is very stable and very user-friendly. The MX-20 series offers precise geolocation and high magnification. For these reasons the MX-20 EO/IR system was chosen by many navies for their Maritime Patrol Aircraft such as the US Navy Poseidon and the French Navy ATL2".

  

Brazil will upgrade its armed forces with Pantsir air defense systems

Source : http://sputniknews.com

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Brazil is apt to purchase Russian Pantsir air defense systems as early as in the first half of 2016, Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Jose Vallim Guerreiro said.

“A general decision on the purchase has been made…As far as I know, the deal is expected in the first half of 2016,” Guerreiro told RIA Novosti.

In a January interview with RIA Novosti the ambassador had suggested that the contract on the delivery of Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense systems to the Latin American country could be signed in the beginning of 2015.

Guerreiro explained that this delay was mainly because “the 2015 budget did not provide enough financial resources to pay for armaments.”

He added that the work is currently underway to include a corresponding provision in the 2016 budget.

The two countries launched negotiations on Pantsir deliveries in 2012.

The Pantsir-S1 (NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound), is a short-to-medium range gun-missile system combining a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to 12 57E6 radio-command guided short-range missiles. The system is designed to acquire a variety of targets flying at altitudes from five meters to 10 kilometers and at the range from 200 meters to 20 kilometers.

Units of S-400 of the Russian Federation to work to intercept air attack

Source : https://defencerussia.wordpress.com

Units of anti-aircraft missile complexes S-400, S-300 and anti-aircraft missile and gun complexes “Pantsir-S” across Russia will fulfill the interception promising air attacks in the contest “Keys to the sky”, the press service of the Defense Ministry said.
“Units of S-400, S-300, Pantsir-S across the country will work to intercept promising air attacks in the framework of the “Keys to the sky”… Today, at the site opened in Buryatia Telemba-army stage of the competition on the field training units of air defense troops Air Force “Keys to the sky,” the statement said.
Air crews of the Eastern Military District will be used to designate enemy aircraft and air defense units will work for detection, tracking and conditional defeat of air targets, the Defense Ministry said.

France fills the US Arms void into Middle East

Source : http://www.atlanticcouncil.org

Through a series of recent sales worth billions, most recently a $12 billion deal with Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday, the Rafale has become the backbone of Paris's realpolitik economic diplomacy aimed at sustaining its global stature and capitalizing on recent rifts in the United States' relations with its partners.

Gulf states are signing defense contracts with Paris to express their discontent with American policies in the wake of the Iran nuclear negotiations. The fact that the Iran talks have excluded Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners while ignoring Tehran's regional meddling has led Gulf partners to question the American commitment to their security, especially after the administration's backtracking on a Syrian chemical weapons red line. Spotting an opportunity, France has stepped in to fill the void.

France adopted a hard line from the beginning of the Iran nuclear talks to both distinguish itself from the United States and to cultivate closer ties with the Saudis and other nervous Gulf states. It continues to push for a UN Security Council resolution enforcing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, forcing the Obama administration to seek a postponement of any vote on the issue.

Presenting an alternative to the United States on such key regional issues has helped Paris put the Rafale on the map andsecure billions in regional defense contracts over the past year, raising French arms exports to the highest level in 15 years.

In Egypt, France capitalized on thecontentious U.S. arms suspension that began in late 2013 to secure a Rafale deal in February, which came on the heels of the Egyptian navy's purchase of four French corvettes last summer. Even though the United States ended the suspension earlier this year, France's military deals are not tied to mutual security objectives and have no conditions requiring Cairo to undertake political reforms. As Egypt's experience shows, France has emerged as an attractive, no-strings-attached alternative for states seeking to sidestep the scrutiny of U.S. conditional aid....

Hollande's attendance at a ceremony in Doha before the summit was even more significant. France benefits from U.S.-Qatari tensions stemming from Qatar's support for radical Islamists and Muslim Brotherhood affiliates from Libya to Syria, which has led to dangerously destabilizing competition for influence with some of its Gulf neighbors with closer U.S. ties. Seeing its chance, Paris seized the opportunity to sell Doha 24 Rafale fighter jets and other military equipment worth $7 billion....

France will not supplant the United States as an alternative security guarantor for the Middle East. Despite recent instability in its regional relationships, the United States maintains a forward military presence no other country could sustain. And for all of their bluster, Gulf partners still rely on Washington's superior capabilities and will to act. But until relations between the United States and its Middle Eastern partners stabilize, France is happy to present an outlet for regional actors to express their dissatisfaction in exchange for lucrative defense deals.

German-made engines to power British Army vehicles

Source : http://www.upi.com

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany, May 27 (UPI) --German-made engines for the first time will be used to power British Army vehicles under a deal between Rolls-Royce and General Dynamics European Land Systems.

The engines are MTU's Series 199 diesel engines, which will be used on six variants of GDELS's Scout specialist vehicles, which will form the backbone of the British Army's future fleet of armored fighting vehicles.

The contract for 589 MTU engines is worth about $87.3 million. Their delivery to GDELS will begin in 2016, Rolls-Royce said.

"We are delighted that our MTU engine has been trusted for this important project," said Dr. Ulrich Dohle, Rolls-Royce Power Systems chief executive officer. "This order once again proves that when it comes to performance and reliability, the Series 199 engine is benchmark in its power range."

The 8V 199 TE21 engine has a power output of 600 kilowatts and is used in various armored vehicles. The engine delivery will include the engines' cooling systems and generators.

USS Fort McHenry Visits Montenegro's port of Bar

Source : http://cne-cna-c6f.dodlive.mil

BAR, Montenegro – The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) and her crew arrived in Bar, Montenegro, for a scheduled port visit June 24.

The port visit serves to enhance relations between the United States and Montenegro as the two nations work together to provide a stable, secure, and prosperous Europe.

Hypersonic Missile Arm Race: US Walking a Tightrope in East Asian Region

Source : http://sputniknews.com

 

Washington is walking a tightrope in the East Asian region: the Sino-American hypersonic missile arm race may prompt a rapid escalation of tensions between the two sides with certain destabilizing effects, military expert Eleni G. Ekmektsioglou notes.

The hypersonic missile arm race between the United States and China may prompt a rapid military escalation in the East Asian region, dragging it into the abyss of instability, PhD Researcher and Research Assistant at the American University School of International Service Eleni G. Ekmektsioglou noted.

According to the scholar "military thinking so far has been dominated by the use of brute force… instead of coercive force that leaves the final choice to the opponent."

"The latter [coercive force] would be more expedient in a regional conflict scenario where the United States faces a nuclear force while at the same time the objective at stake does not justify an all-out war effort," she elaborated.

The United States has been pursuing its conventional prompt global strike (CPGS) high precision technology, aimed at "striking a target anywhere in the world within one hour's time," since late 1970s. The idea has caught its second wind after 9/11, during the Bush administration.

Although CPGS had been initially meant for counterterrorism operations, very soon the concept has taken on a new meaning of a prompt "counternuclear" strike. "Counternuclear is broader and more comprehensive than counterforce since it targets nuclear warheads, C4ISR systems as well as production and storage facilities," the scholar elaborated.

The Obama administration praises the development of the CPGS program. However, Washington's course has triggered growing concerns among Chinese policy-makers. Beijing fears that the program is aimed at containing China.

"Specifically, Chinese experts talk about the scenario of China being subject to American coercion, a concern that is mainly due to US nuclear superiority, which — married to BMD [Ballistic Missile Defense] and a conventional pre-emptive strike enabled by CPGS — puts at risk the Chinese retaliatory capability," Ms. Ekmektsioglou emphasized.

In order to equalize opportunities, China kicked off its own hypersonic missile projects. The Chinese tests carried out in January and August 2014 had demonstrated clearly that Beijing entered the competition.

"Over the last several years, talk has heated up over Beijing's DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM), with a maneuverable warhead and range at around 1,500 km, taking many U.S. experts and high echelon officers by surprise," the scholar stressed.

The CPGS technology is considered a game changer in the traditional warfare. Indeed, its accuracy and speed that allows to penetrate an adversary's BMD systems may significantly bolster both US' and China's military capabilities. But on the other hand, it leads to "two-sided escalation situations."

A surprise attack and a tough response to it leave "no room for signaling and diplomacy," and, unfortunately, the "escalation control" is just a "wishful thinking" in the troublesome East Asian regional environment.

"Hypersonic weapons add to the complexity and elusiveness of the escalatory dynamics and this is something both sides will need to plan for," the scholar emphasized.

Russia to Complete Construction of Airship ‘Atlant -100’ for Army by 2018

Source : http://www.strategic-culture.org

'Augur RosAeroSystems' is a leading Russian lighter-than-air manufacturer. The company builds big airships and aerostats equipped with high-precision computer equipment and technology. The recent announcement by the company tells of airship 'Atlant' to be ready for the Russian Army by 2018.

The ‘Augur-RosAeroSystems’ Holding is set to build the airship ‘Atlant’ by the end of 2018. It will have the capacity of carrying over 16 tons of weight.

RosAeroSystems is a leading Russian lighter-than-air manufacturer. The company builds big airships and aerostats. It is the only Russian enterprise, and one of the few in the world with own and powerful aerostatic envelope production division, able to produce and test envelopes up to 50 000 cub m volume. The envelope production line is equipped by high-precision computerized cutting equipment and RF welding machines.

The airship ‘Atlant’ will possibly be used by the Defense Ministry.

According to the Vice President of the Holding, Mikhail Talesnikov, the development work of the first phase will be completed in December of this year. It will be examined, displaying the innovation system balancing. By 2018, ‘Atlant’ is scheduled to begin flight testing with the first prototype carrying weight capacity of 16 tons and volume of 30 thousand cubic meters.

The vice president stressed that this innovation cannot be made by anyone else in the world in such a short time span.

“During the unloading of the weight at the point of arrival, the airship will be able to get heavier via controls without needing ballast, in that way it will not get weightless after unload and will not soar into the stratosphere. This system is unique, nowhere abroad do they have that,” elaborated Talesnikov, media reports.

It was earlier reported that the modification of the airships towards more militarized concept is being carried out on airship ‘Atlant-30’- carrying capacity of 16 tons and airship ‘Atlant-100’- carrying capacity of 60 tons.

Secret Russian Hypersonic Nuke Glider Can Pierce Any Missile Defense

Source : http://sputniknews.com

Extremely maneuverable, ultra-fast and elusive, the hypersonic Yu-71 can break through any missile defense system, military experts said. Russia has reportedly carried out four tests already.

Russia is test-launching a new hypersonic attack aircraft that can carry nuclear warheads and penetrate missile defense systems, US media said citing a report by Jane's Information Group.

The development of the Yu-71 vehicle took several years, and Russia reportedly conducted the most recent test flight on February 26, with an SS-19 missile trying to deliver the Yu-71 to space. The new hypersonic aircraft is part of Moscow's plans to modernize its Strategic Missile Forces.

Yu-71, a secret missile program codenamed "Project 4202", has probable speed of up to 11,200 kmh (7,000 mph) and is extremely maneuverable, which makes it an incredibly dangerous and a hardly targetable weapon.

Thanks to its speed and unpredictable trajectory, Yu-71 can evade an enemy's missile defense systems.

"This would give Russia the ability to deliver a guaranteed small-scale strike against a target of choice; if coupled with an ability to penetrate missile defenses, Moscow would also retain the option of launching a successful single-missile attack."

The report's authors assume that Russia may put into service up to 24 nuclear-capable Yu-71 aircraft between 2020 and 2025.  Moreover, by that time Russia may have developed the Sarmat - a new ICBM that will carry the new hypersonic device.

The report also said that Russia's next generation strategic stealth bomber PAK DA will carry hypersonic cruise missiles.

China has tested its hypersonic strike vehicle Wu-14 at least four times since January 2014, seriously alarming the Pentagon, as the device may reportedly neutralize the US anti-missile shield.

The United States is also engineering a similar device AHW (Advanced Hypersonic Weapon) as a part of its Prompt Global Strike program, which is not covered by the 2010 New START Treaty with Russia.  

Jane's experts predict that Moscow may use the new hypersonic aircraft as an ace in the sleeve during arms control talks with Washington.

Russia to offer NASA to bring to ISS part of cargo lost on Dragon cargo craft

Source : http://tass.ru/en

MOSCOW, June 28. /TASS/. Russia will offer space aboard the Progress cargo craft to NASA so that it could deliver to the International Space Station a part of the American cargoes, which were to be delivered there by the Dragon craft that was lost minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral on Sunday, Vladimir Solovyov, the flight operations director of the Russian segment of the station told TASS.

The Falcone 9 launch vehicle exploded 2 minutes 19 seconds after the liftoff. NASA said the precise causes of the explosion were still unclear by the time of reporting although some experts believed it might have been caused by a buildup of excessive pressure in the reservoir for liquid oxygen.

"We can’t tell you much right now but the Progress craft is to start off into space in a week’s time and we’ll make our proposals known to the American counterparts tomorrow," Solovyov said. "We’ll tell them which of their cargoes we could take along."

He said the Dragon cargo ship did not have any Russian cargoes aboard, as the Russian space agency Roscosmos did not have any need for using this flight to consign a payload to the ISS at the moment.

The ship was expected to deliver a payload of 2 tons including foodstuffs, equipment and materials for research experiments to the station.

The Dragon was due to dock to the ISS on Tuesday, June 30. After a mission of several weeks at the station, it was to bring results of experiments and other cargoes back to the Earth.

The launch vehicle and the cargo craft belonged to SpaceX corporation.

Under a contract with NASA, the Dragon was to make twelve flights to the ISS until the end of 2016. The contract was worth $ 1.6 billion.

Expedition 43 currently working aboard ISS includes Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padakla and Mikhail Korniyenko and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly. Korniyenko and Kelly who arrived at the ISS at the end of March are expected to stay there for almost a year - their mission will last 342 days.

In a month’s time, they will be joined by a new trio - Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, and the astronaut of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Kimiya Yui will start off towards the ISS in a Soyuz spacecraft on July 24.

NATO will never invade Russia - McFaul

Source : http://m.rbth.co.uk

Former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has said NATO is not planning to invade Russia and there is no need for the Russian leadership to deploy S-400 air defense systems on its Western borders. "NATO will never invade Russia," he twitted on Sunday.

The former ambassador said the Russian leadership is groundlessly concerned about the deployment of NATO armaments near Russian borders. "Russians should also relax about NATO defensive weapons near Russian borders since Russia tells us no plan to invade NATO countries," McFaul wrote.

"Only a complete fool would invade Russia. Thankfully no fools running NATO countries," the diplomat noted.

Previously the Russian Defense Ministry announced new S-400 "Triumf" long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems and "Pantsir-S" combined SAM and anti-aircraft artillery systems will enter service in the air defense divisions stationed in the Northwestern Federal District before the end of 2015.

"In all, more than 30 sets of modern SAM systems will enter service in the air defense divisions of the Western Military District (WMD) before the end of 2015 under the State Defense Order-2015 program," the WMD said in a press release.

The TSB exercise gunners performed live firing precision-guided munitions "Krasnopol"

Source : http://function.mil.ru

Soldiers of self-propelled howitzer artillery battalions of motorized infantry compounds Eastern Military District (BBO), stationed in Primorsky Krai, in the tactical exercise carried out live firing correctable artillery ammunition caliber 152 mm "Krasnopol."

During firing self-propelled howitzers 2S3 calculations "Acacia" hit targets that simulate command and staff vehicles and launchers of tactical missiles imaginary enemy, at distances up to 5 thousand. Meters.

To detect subtle distant targets used unmanned aerial vehicles, which greatly increased the efficiency of performance of fire missions commanders of artillery battalions.

In addition, the upcoming summer period of training output field crews will practice self-propelled artillery destruction of precision-guided munitions "Krasnopol" moving targets.

US Navy Destroyer USS Laboon Makes Visit in Georgia's Port of Batumi

Source : http://sputniknews.com

The US guided-missile destroyer, USS Laboon, from the 6th Fleet cast anchor at Georgia’s Black Sea port of Batumi on Sunday.

While in Batumi, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer will “conduct routine combined training with the Georgian Coast Guard and provide ship and press tours,” the US embassy in Tbilisi said.

“The Laboon’s visit reaffirms the United States’ commitment to strengthening ties with NATO allies and partners like Georgia, while working toward mutual goals of promoting security and stability in the Black Sea region,” it added.

Saudi cables reveal the intelligence links between the Saudi Arabian and Australian governments

Source : www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au

Arranging an interview with a Saudi prince can be tricky, particularly when the prince is the chief of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s feared secret police. 

Secret Saudi foreign ministry documents released by WikiLeaks this week show that Australia’s former ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Neil Hawkins, had to wait more than five months to receive a response to a request for a meeting with His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, then head of intelligence and secretary-general of the kingdom’s National Security Council. 

Saudi instructions leave little doubt that engagement in religious affairs and the wider politics of Australia’s Islamic communities are primary tasks for the embassy.

Hawkins first requested a meeting in early August 2012. 

Six weeks earlier, then Labor foreign minister Bob Carr had breezed through the Saudi capital. Carr’s published diary records that he donned “my Sydney tailor’s best suit” and purchased a new Bulgari tie to meet the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal. 

Carr found his counterpart, whose reign as the world’s longest-serving foreign minister ended this year, “somewhat frail, and slow in speech, walking with a stick”, but noted “his brown eyes flashed and his pronouncements cut through”. Over lunch the conversation covered Iran; Sunni Saudi Arabia’s fears of spreading Shia Islamic influence; the likelihood of a coup in Egypt following a victory in the presidential elections of the Muslim Brotherhood, something the prince implied would be “catastrophic”; and
the need for a settlement between Israel and Palestine. 

There was another highly sensitive item on the agenda, however, that Ambassador Hawkins later struggled to advance without the door-opening presence of a visiting foreign minister – namely strengthening intelligence co-operation between Australia and Saudi Arabia. A secret “document of intent” on counterterrorism co-operation had been signed by the two countries in 2011, but progress on practical co-operation had been slow despite burgeoning bilateral trade and growing people-to-people ties. More than 10,000 Saudi students were studying at Australian universities and other educational institutions and thousands of Australian Muslims undertake the hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca each year. 

The leaked Saudi foreign ministry documents show there was no rush to respond to the Australian embassy’s first letter seeking a meeting between Hawkins and Prince Bandar, sent on August 1, 2012. Nor was there any response to a second letter, sent by the embassy two months later. Eventually the embassy dispatched a third letter, on January 16, 2013, reiterating Hawkins’ request for a discussion about “co-operation between the two countries at the intelligence level”. 

The Saudi foreign ministry belatedly decided to recommend that the powerful Ministry of Interior facilitate a meeting. Some time later, it’s not clear precisely when, there was a breakthrough and arrangements were made for Australia’s ambassador for counterterrorism, Bill Fisher, to visit Saudi Arabia for high-level discussions
in April 2013. 

The details of Australia’s subsequent counterterrorism co-operation with Saudi Arabia have been kept largely secret. This week, however, perhaps prompted by the deluge of leaked Saudi foreign ministry documents, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was a little more forthcoming than usual, with a spokesperson saying that bilateral collaboration “extends to discussions and training exchanges between relevant officials”. In the current context of alarm about Islamic State (or Daesh), there were “new dimensions of co-operation opening up in relation to anti-Daesh efforts”. Among this co-operation was Saudi Arabia’s Financial Intelligence Unit, which seeks to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in the kingdom and works closely with foreign counterparts, including Australia’s anti-money laundering agency, AUSTRAC. To this end, an AUSTRAC official attended a working group on countering Islamic State financing in Jeddah last month. 

The Australian Federal Police liaison post in United Arab Emirates (UAE) covers co-operation with Saudi Arabia. It is also understood that the Australian Secret Intelligence Service post in the UAE – publicly revealed in Carr’s diary – engages in liaison with the Saudi external intelligence service, the Ri’āsat Al-Istikhbārāt Al-’Āmah, or General Intelligence Directorate. Leaked US embassy cables previously published by WikiLeaks suggest that the General Intelligence Directorate, described as the most “forward-leaning” of Saudi Arabia’s security agencies, generally acts as an intermediary and facilitates co-operation with the more insular and notoriously brutal secret police, the Mabahith or General Investigation Directorate of the Ministry of Interior. Leaked Saudi foreign ministry documents briefly refer to the need for the Ministry of Interior to support co-operation between the General Intelligence Directorate and “Australian intelligence officials”. 

Asked this week what safeguards are in place to ensure that Australian–Saudi Arabian counterterrorism co-operation is consistent with Australia’s human rights policies, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade offered general reassurance that counterterrorism co-operation with any partner country was “examined for consistency with Australia’s human rights standards and policies in its scoping phase”. 

But the leaked Saudi diplomatic papers suggest human rights issues receive scant attention in the bilateral relationship, at least as far as the Saudis are concerned. One exception was Saudi Arabia’s offer of support for the election of Australian legal academic Professor James Crawford to be a judge of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, in exchange for Australian support for the kingdom to be elected to serve on the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Details of any subsequent Australian–Saudi deal are obscure. However, Professor Crawford was elected to the ICJ in November 2014. Saudi Arabia also won election to the Human Rights Council and is currently lobbying to serve as chair in 2016, a move that has been described by Human Rights Watch as potentially the “final nail in the coffin for the credibility” of the UN’s peak human rights body.

The leaked Saudi cables do show that trade, consular support for Saudi students in Australia, and assistance to Australian Muslims undertaking the hajj are day-to-day preoccupations for the kingdom’s well-staffed embassy in Canberra. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade diplomatic list shows that, aside from Ambassador Nabil Mohammed A. Al Saleh, there are 27 Saudi diplomats posted to our national capital, including one member of the Saudi royal family, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Badr bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, serving in the humble role of a diplomatic attaché.

More significantly, the leaked documents provide evidence that the Saudi embassy is deeply involved in the religious life and politics of Australia’s Islamic communities, with the particular goal of spreading and strengthening their puritanical Wahhabist branch of Sunni Islam. Indeed, Saudi foreign ministry instructions leave little doubt that engagement in Islamic religious affairs and the wider politics of Australia’s Islamic communities are primary tasks for the embassy. The documents show the Sunni kingdom’s strong concern about efforts by Shiite Islamic leaders to engage with the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and the kingdom’s funding of visits to Australia by Sunni Islamic clerics to counter Shia influence.

Also detailed are efforts to influence the Arab language press in Australia, with the leaked documents including instructions from the Saudi government to its embassy relating to the payment of subsidies, disguised as “subscriptions”, from the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information to prominent Arabic newspapers in Australia, with reference made to payments totalling $40,000 between four media organisations. Newspapers identified in correspondence referring to payments in 2007 include the influential El Telegraphand The Middle East Times. Material support for community leaders and individuals judged to be supportive of Saudi interests, including at least one New South Wales Labor councillor, also appears to be significant, although it is not possible to make definitive judgements owing to the incomplete nature of the leaked Saudi archive. 

The Saudi embassy is further revealed to pay close attention to the activities of Saudi university students studying in Australia, with reports sent to the Mabahith, which also appears to make recommendations in relation to the Saudi government’s large-scale funding of building mosques and supporting Islamic community activities in Australia. Saudi government activity in Australia has extended to large investments in the higher education sector, including through the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, spanning the University of Melbourne, Griffith University and the University of Western Sydney.

It is a very rare thing for the contemporary archives of a foreign embassy or diplomatic service operating in Australia to be made public. It has only happened twice – once in the case of the Soviet embassy following the 1954 defection of Vladimir Petrov and on the second occasion as a consequence of WikiLeaks’ 2010 publication of US embassy cables. Both cases showed that foreign governments had deep interests in the domestic affairs of this country, keenly interested to gather intelligence and exert influence. WikiLeaks’ “Saudi cables” show that what the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation terms “foreign interference” is certainly not confined to the activities of great powers. 

In the course of current debates about Islamic State terrorism, radicalisation and the need for heightened security measures, there should perhaps be some greater attention to who Australia is dealing with overseas and the nature and extent of their activities in this country. But curiously there’s no rush to do that from either side of Australian politics. 

The embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did not respond to a request for comment in relation to issues raised in this article.

Chinas PLA could use neutron bomb in event of US invasion: Duowei

Source : http://www.wantchinatimes.com

Unconfirmed reports on various websites in China claim the People's Liberation Army possesses a neutron bomb and would use it as a last resort against a potential US invasion, Duowei News, a news outlet run by overseas Chinese reported on June 26.

One online article said a neutron bomb could take out a US convoy of M1A2 Abrams main battle tank and M2A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, killing all military personnel without doing significant damage to the vehicles themselves.

A neutron bomb sends a massive wave of neutron and gamma radiation that can penetrate armor or several feet of earth and is extremely destructive to living tissue. The bomb was developed to counter a potential Soviet invasion of Western Europe during the Cold War.

General Zhang Aiping, former deputy chief of PLA's general staff department, wrote in a poem for the Communist party mouthpiece People's Daily on Sept. 21, 1977, only months after the US tested its first neutron bomb, that it would not be difficult for China to develop the weapon. On Dec. 19, 1984. China tested its first neutron bomb two years after Zhang was appointed defense minister.

China successfully completed a neutron bomb test on Sept. 29, 1988.

Venezuela receives first batch of military vehicles from China

Source : http://www.wantchinatimes.com

China turned over a first batch of 557 military vehicles to Venezuela at a ceremony in Palo Negro in the state of Aragua on June 26, according to Military Parade, a Russian-language defense website based in Moscow.

The consignment included VN-4 4x4 wheeled armored vehicles, ABV-1 assault breacher vehicles and WTC-1 water cannon vehicles. There were also 200 of the NG2629 6x6 vehicle produced by China North Industries Corporation.

Caracas is buying the new vehicles to improve the Venezuelan National Guard's mobility and combat capability. Earlier this year, 16 national guard vehicles were destroyed in a protest that turned violent.

Venezuela has planned to buy a total of 2,106 military vehicles for its ground forces between 2009 and 2019, chiefly from China. A second batch is scheduled for delivery in September with a third batch expected later this year or early next year.

Azerbaijan Inaugurates New Caspian Naval Base

Source : http://www.eurasianet.org

Azerbaijan has inaugurated a new base for its navy on the Caspian Sea, which it calls "the largest and most modern military object in the Caspian basin."

The base was formally opened on June 25, Azerbaijan's Armed Forces Day, in a ceremony with President Ilham Aliyev.

"Today we have gathered for the opening of the naval base. This event shows the strength, the power of our country," Aliyev said at the ceremony. "This base meets the highest world standards and is one of the biggest military objects created in recent years in Azerbaijan."

The old base, near the center of Baku, was the home of the Soviet Caspian Fleet. In 2011 Azerbaijan announced it was leaving that base and building a new one as it sought toexpand the very modest naval forces it inherited after the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

The new base is in the town of Puta, about 30 kilometers southwest of Baku, and was originally scheduled to open last year. The announcement of the new base included some detail on the living, dining, and medical facilities for sailors but somewhat less on the operational details of the base. It did emphasize that it would facilitate real-time monitoring of activity in the Azerbaijani sector of the sea by means of surveillance stations on islands and on naval vessels. It also will allow for information sharing between naval forces, the border control service and the State Maritime Administration. 

There was no mention of what sort of vessels the base might accomodate, but Azerbaijan has been active in recent years in trying to enlist foreign partners in naval shipbuilding. 

At the ceremony, Aliyev did not allude to what security threats Azerbaijan perceives on the sea, instead emphasizing the Caspian's status as "a sea of peace and cooperation," the standard formulation of all the Caspian littoral states that masks the growing tension around the sea. 

In Azerbaijan's case it is particularly worried about Iran, with whom it has had a number of minor incidents. In the longer term it is worried about Russia, which strongly opposes the construction of a trans-Caspian gas pipeline from Turkmenistan, which Baku in principle supports. Russia also has tried to get all the littoral states to restrict the militaries of outside powers (meaning, the U.S.) from getting involved on the Caspian, which Baku has pushed back on. Nevertheless, Russia and Azerbaijan are slated to carry out their first-ever joint naval exercises in September. 

Germany hopeful of bagging submarine project RS 50,000 crore with Indian Navy

Source : http://www.brahmand.com

NEW DELHI (PTI): Hopeful of bagging the Rs 50,000 crore project of the Indian Navy for building six conventional submarines, Germany has said that it has offered some "pretty convincing" business offers to the Indian government for cooperation in the defence sector.

German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner said the P-75(I) project was under discussion and that the matter also came up during German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen's visit here last month.

"They did not talk about how this deal should be done...whether this should be Business-to-Business or Government-to -Government. But as our Minister said, from these talks, it was a clear sign that there is potential for cooperation in this field (defence) and also in the field of submarines," he said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here last night.

German defence major TKMS is offering India its HDW Class 214 vessel and is in talks with leading shipyards in the country for a tie-up.

The Germans are also promising a no-hold barred transfer of technology in line with the Narendra Modi government's 'Make in India' push.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had set up a special committee for the project to identify the shipyards in the country that have the capability and the capacity to build the six submarines. These shipyards will then tie-up with a foreign firm.

Besides the public shipyards, the private players include L&T and Pipavav, in which Anil Ambani-led Reliance group has bought controlling stake. The committee is expected to submit the report soon.

After the Indian government announced a G2G deal with France for 36 Rafale jets, the Germans are hopeful that a deal can be struck faster than earlier.

India currently operates four HDW Type 209 submarines and the first was inducted way back in 1986.

Asked about the Rafale deal, Steiner said European economies are so interwoven that if a French company has an economic success, it is very much in German interest as well.

Back to Business: Land, Water, Marsh - No Obstacle for Russian Hovercraft

Source : http://sputniknews.com

The Russian Navy is planning to resume the production of two types of air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC), now equipped with new weaponry and engines.

"We are ready to submit a project of a new LCAC: we have already designed its armament and power systems," the head of the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau told RIA Novosti.

The two projects, 12322 Zubr (NATO name "Pomornik") and 12061 Murena (NATO name "Tsaplya"), were equipped with Ukrainian engines. Now, the CEO said, Russia can substitute them with its own motor systems.

Hovercraft are capable of moving on ground, marsh and water, evade ditches, trenches and minefields, and insert a force into the area deep in the enemy's defense.

The Zubr air-cushion landing ships are the largest in the world. A Zubr can transport three battle tanks, or 10 APCs, and up to 500 troops. The armored vehicle is equipped with two artillery guns, MANPADs, close-in weapon systems, rockets and missiles, and it can lay mines. It has protection from weapons of mass destruction.

The Murena air-cushion landing craft can deliver two APCs or one medium-size tank, or 130 troops. It is armed with the Igla MANPADs, close-in weapon systems and mines.

You Can't Win Them All: This Time US May Lose New Arms Race

Source : http://sputniknews.com

The United States may lose a new arms race in today's multi-polar world, prominent US writer and publicist David A. Andelman says, stating that Washington is currently facing new multinational, multidimensional threats.

According to prominent American writer and publicist David A. Andelman, Washington is facing a new arms race, potentially far more threatening than during the Cold War.

"All that is history. But not the arms race. It's still going on, though in a vastly different, expanded and far more expensive format that's potentially even more threatening. And this time we may be losing," the writer stressed.

Mr. Andelman pointed out that this year Moscow demonstrated "three new, utterly modern armored vehicles" during its May 9 Victory Day parade. Russia is seeking to replenish its military arsenal that now includes new MIG-35 multirole fighters, advanced Pantsir mobile artillery weapon systems, Bora-class guided missile hovercrafts and stealth submarines.

"In all, we are looking at a potent 845,000 troops, 22,550 tanks, and 1,399 combat aircraft, with 70% of Russian equipment defined as "modern" in the next five years," the publicist underscored.

Meanwhile, China is modernizing its People's Liberation Army at a steady pace. China's defense expenditures now amount "for more than a third" of all military spending in Asia. Furthermore, Beijing has already launched its first aircraft carrier Liaoning, a renovated 302-meter former Soviet vessel, and is currently building a second one, which is expected to be far more advanced.

According to the writer, China's military spending last year amounted to $216 billion, while Russia had spent only $84.5 billion. In contrast, the United States annually pours more than $600 billion in its military sector.

However, Mr. Andelman remarked that "such numbers don't tell the full story."

"Today's new arms race is not just with Russia, but an integral part of today's multipolar world. And certainly it's more expensive, in part because of the multinational, multidimensional threats…  At the same time, we must not be distracted from our greatest, potentially existential, threats: terrorism and its special warfare requirements, and the cyber arms race," he stressed, insisting that China and Russia are matching the US here "step for step."

The author believes that Washington should spend more if it wants to come out on top, slamming the Senate for voting down an essential appropriations bill, after it approved a $600 billion defense budget.

At the same time Mr. Andelman pointed to the Pentagon's decision to supply heavy offensive weapons to the Baltic states and Poland, "all NATO members directly on Russia's frontiers."

"None of this should suggest that any armed conflict is imminent. But it's quite clear that on multiple fronts this time, we're in a new arms race, with no clear winner," he highlighted.

Pentagon Says It Needs $270 Billion to Upgrade Nuclear Arsenal

Source : http://military.com

The United States will need to spend as much as $18 billion per year for 15 years starting in 2021 to keep the nation's nuclear stockpile and the weapons and vehicles designed to deliver these weapons viable, Pentagon leaders told lawmakers.

"We've developed a plan to transition our aging system. Carrying out this plan will be an expensive proposition. It is projected to cost DoD an average of $18 billion a year from 2021 through 2035," Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work told members of the House Armed Services Committee at Thursday's hearing on nuclear deterrence.

"The only existential threat to our nation is a nuclear attack. Nuclear weapons remain the most important mission we have," he added.

Work explained that keeping the country's nuclear enterprise modernized is especially important in light of the advancements made by Russia and China.

The U.S. Navy and Air Force have already seen problems creep up with operations and morale within their nuclear forces. Both services faced cheating scandals in recent years. The Air Force's two top leaders were fired in 2008 after former Defense Secretary Robert Gates faulted the leaders for losing focus on the nuclear mission.

The Pentagon is already pursuing several acquisition efforts to boost the nuclear triad, but many have high price tags and the Air Force and Navy are trying to figure out how to pay for them under restricted budgets.

The Air Force plans to announce a contract this summer for its next-generation bomber program, called the Long Range Strike Bomber, or LRS-B. The Navy is working with Congress to secure funding for its Ohio Replacement Program, a new-generation of nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines slated to arrive by the early 2030s.

The new LRS-B planes are expected to cost about $550 million each and the Navy hopes it can keep the cost of its Ohio Replacement submarines for under $5 billion per boat. Many defense analysts have called those estimates ambitious after the services have had a record for going over budget in recent years on other big budget acquisition programs like the Joint Strike Fighter and the Ford-class aircraft carrier.

Congress has identified a new National Sea Based Deterrence fund designed to identify money to pay for the Ohio Replacement submarines, however most of the needed money for the fund has yet to be identified.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., said Congress was working vigorously to identify money for the fund.

"We've created a mechanism within the budget process. We're ready and we're moving forward and we hope that the administration is going to help us solve this problem," he said.

Work said funding the Ohio Replacement Program was a critical priority, explaining that if it is paid for out of the existing shipbuilding budget – the funds needed will adversely impact other priority programs.

"This is our number one mission. We are going to pay for it (Ohio Replacement) no matter what. We appreciate the theory of the case behind this fund. There will have to be something like this to help us through," Work said.

Russian Saber Rattling

Work stressed that Russian, Chinese and North Korean nuclear weapons development continues to engender a dangerous and high-threat global environment.

"While we seek a world without nuclear weapons, we face the harsh reality that Russia and China are rapidly modernizing their already capable nuclear arsenals - and North Korea intends to develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them against the United States. A strong nuclear deterrent force will remain critical to our national security," Work said.

Citing the fact that senior Russian officials continue to make irresponsible statements about their nuclear forces, Work said the U.S. and NATO were not intimidated but rather strengthened in solidarity.

"As Secretary Carter has recently said, Moscow's nuclear saber-rattling raises questions about Russia's commitment to strategic stability -- and the profound respect that world leaders in the nuclear age have shown in the brandishing of these weapons," he added.

The Russian military is currently modernizing its arsenal of ICBMs and advancing its nuclear weapons' technologies, Work said.

Work stressed that Russia continues to violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF agreement, reached between President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s. The treaty is designed to eliminate nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate ranges identified as 500 to 5,500 kilometers.

"Russia continues to violate the INF treaty and our goal is to return them to compliance to preserve the viability of that treaty. We will not allow them to gain significant military advantage through INF violations," Work added.

Chinese nuclear modernization is also on the Pentagon's radar, Work explained. The Chinese are placing multiple warheads on their ICBMs, expanding their mobile ICBM force and continuing to pursue sea-based nuclear weapons.

"However, we assess that this modernization program (China) is designed to ensure they have a second strike capability and not to seek a quantitative nuclear parity with the United States or Russia," Work said.

When addressing the funding challenges expected to make the modernization of nuclear weapons a reality for DoD, Work said the stepped up effort would require about 7 percent of the Pentagon's annual budget.

"The choice right now is modernizing or losing deterrence. Without additional funding, sustaining this level of spending will require very, very hard choices that will impact the other parts of our defense portfolio," he explained.

HASC Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said spending 7 percent of the Pentagon budget on its top security priority seems reasonable and appropriate.

"It seems to me that it is not unreasonable to say that it's in the ballpark," he said.

Russian loan to finance more S-300 Supplies to Armenia

Source : http://www.azatutyun

Armenia will purchase soon more Russian-made weapons with a $200 million loan that has been provided to it by the Russian government, it emerged on Friday.

President Serzh Sarkisian said that the disbursement of the “concessional export loan” was formalized at a meeting of a Russian-Armenian intergovernmental commission on bilateral cooperation that took place in Yerevan earlier in the day.

Sarkisian told the Russian co-chair of the commission, Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, that the funding will enable Armenia’s armed forces to “considerably expand the assortment of modern weaponry in their arsenal.” A statement by his office did not specify what type of new military equipment will be purchased for them.

Sarkisian’s announcement came less than two weeks after Armenia’s top military official in charge of arms procurements flew to Moscow for talks with representatives of Russia’s Defense Ministry and state intermediary agency for arms exports. The Armenian Defense Ministry said the official, Alik Mirzabekian, will discuss with them “supplies of products designed for military use.”

Russia has long been the principal source of weapons delivered to Armenia. A military alliance with Moscow and membership in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) entitles Yerevan to receiving Russian-made weapons at discounted prices or even free of charge.

Russia inks deal with Iran on innovative technology cooperation

Source : http://www.irna.ir/en

The sides agreed to promote Russian non-military products to the Iranian market, Almaz-Antey's deputy director general, Alexander Vedrov, announced.

'At the first stage, we plan to exchange information and to organize joint meetings of Russian and Iranian industrial companies with their potential customers,' Alexander Vedrov said, according to sputniknews.com.

Representatives of EU, US, Britain, France, Russia, Germany, China and Iran meet for another round of the P5+1 powers and Iran talks in Vienna, Austria on June 12, 2015

He added that Iran expressed deep interest in integrating innovative Russian technologies in industrial production and airport management.

lmaz-Antey, established in 2002, delivers products to foreign customers through Russia’s state-run arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, as well as operates as an independent entity engaged in military and technical cooperation.

The corporation is the manufacturer of the S-300 air defense system. In 2007, Russia and Iran signed a deal for the delivery of five S-300s, but the agreement was halted by Moscow after the UN Security Council issued an arms embargo on Tehran. In April, Moscow lifted the ban on defense system deliveries to Iran.

Russian Strategic Submarine groups to ‘Be Constantly Updated’ – Navy Commander

Source : http://sputniknews.com

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian nuclear strategic submarine groups in the north of the country and on the far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula will be regularly updated, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief, Adm. Viktor Chirkov said Friday.

"Groupings of strategic submarines in the North and in Kamchatka will be constantly updated, so we would be able to meet the ambitious criteria required by the rapid development of science and technology," Chirkov said.

Russian submarine building technologies are unique, and will help maintain proper levels of strategic nuclear force development, he added.

Last week, Chirkov said Russia’s nuclear submarines could guarantee security threat deterrence aimed at the country.

Since early 2014, the Russian Navy has doubled its submarine patrols, according to Chirkov.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian submarine fleet was in crisis. Since then, Russia has been modernizing and developing strategic and tactical submarines.

Russia is currently undergoing a $325-billion rearmament program for a 70-percent modernization increase in its military's weaponry by 2020.

New ballistic missiles to be introduced for Chinese submarines

Source : http://www.wantchinatimes.com

The People's Liberation Army Navy has been developing new missiles for its newly developed submarines, according to Moscow-based Military Parade in a June 25 report.

The PLA Navy currently uses Type 093 Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines and Type 039A Yuan-class and Type 039 Song-class diesel-electric submarines. These vessels are all currently equipped with YJ-82 cruise missiles. The YJ-82 is set to be replaced by the SS-N-13, however, which has an operational range of 222 kilometers, according to the website.

China is currently carrying out tests on its Type 096 Tang-class ballistic missile submarine. JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missiles are also being tested and will likely replace the JL-2 missile. Equipped with a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle, the JL-2 can carry between three and four warheads. It is estimated to have an attack range of 7,400 kilometers. When launched from the waters east of Hawaii, the entire United States is in range of the JL-2 missile.

With only a single JL-2, China would be capable of striking between three and four US targets. China is also developing a new third-generation attack-submarine, the Type 095, the website reported. The PLA Navy will use this new submarine to attack enemy surface combat vessels 100 nautical miles away, the website said

NATO Buildup in Poland Portends Catastrophic Consequences – Vice Admiral

Source : http://www.strategic-culture.org

 

Commenting on the continuing buildup of NATO forces on Russia's borders, including a decision to beef up the rapid response force, and the announcement that the US would deploy heavy equipment in six Eastern European states, including Poland, Vice Admiral Marek Toczek told Sputnik that the dangerous escalation could have catastrophic consequences.

"I consider this to be another step in the escalation of tensions in the situation which has developed around [the conflict in] eastern Ukraine, Toczek stated. "I have always considered that such situations must be resolved exclusively via diplomatic talks," he added.

The Polish Navy veteran turned-politician stated that "this conflict cannot be resolved by military means, especially given the scale being considered. Either this is saber rattling, or a harbinger of something that can affect the people of Eastern and Central Europe, and not only them, –a harbinger of extreme catastrophe of a kind humanity has never known. In Poland there are many people –their numbers difficult to estimate in percentage terms, but very likely a majority, who are against these sorts of political decisions."

Toczek noted that Polish officials' enthusiastic approval of the initiatives to station equipment on Polish soil is aimed in part as a pre-election measure ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections this fall. "I do not believe that this is the way to resolve the conflict, and, by and large, I am very concerned that the leadership of my country is resolved to take such steps and such actions," the official noted.

Asked to comment on the contradictions between NATO's recent announcements and Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's statements earlier this month that Russia does not pose an "immediate threat" to any NATO country and that "our aim is to cooperate" with Moscow, Toczek responded by noting that he is convinced "that we are dealing here with a manifestation of a kind of schizophrenia. Not in relation to the politician who uttered these words –it's difficult to disagree with him. However, pressures from various lobbies, which operate surreptitiously, and which are difficult to identify, result in informational chaos, and this also results in a poor understanding of what is truly going on by a significant portion of society."

Marek Toczek served in the Polish Navy between 1965 and 1996, rising to the rank of Vice Admiral in 1994. In the mid-1990s, he left the navy and became the president of the Polish Front, running for a seat in parliament during the 2001 parliamentary elections on the party list of the Alternative Social Movement. Since then, he has been a vice president of the social democratic Polish Labour Party — August 80.

Ash Carter: NATO Unites Around New Security Playbook against Russia

Source : http://www.defense.gov

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2015 – NATO allies are growing more united despite Russian aggression in Europe, and the alliance has a new approach to meeting security challenges to the east and south, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in Brussels yesterday.

As part of a June 21-26 trip to Germany, Estonia and Belgium for bilateral and multilateral meetings with European defense ministers, Carter participated in his first NATO defense Ministers meeting as U.S. secretary of defense.

The secretary also visited U.S. troops and those from allied and partner nations during his five-day trip.

“Like my visits to Berlin, Munster and Tallinn,” Carter said during a news conference after the NATO meeting, “my meetings here with my NATO counterparts in Brussels affirmed that while some in Europe are trying to create division, ... NATO allies are only growing more united in their resolve to move forward together."

New Security Challenges

To meet new security challenges in the south and the east, Carter said, NATO is using a new playbook and leveraging lessons of history and its own strengths. During the meeting, Carter described a new U.S. strategic approach to aggressive and threatening Russian behavior.

Included in the new playbook is NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, which Carter said DoD will support with a range of enabling capabilities.

These include intratheater and strategic airlift; aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; combat sustainment support; mid-air refueling; an air and space expeditionary wing; naval support assets; precision joint fires; combat helicopters; a deployable command post; and special operations air and maritime capabilities, the secretary said.

Adjusting Presence

The department also is adjusting its posture and presence to help facilitate training and exercises and make NATO member forces more agile, mobile and responsive.

“As I announced in Estonia,” Carter said, “the United States will temporarily stage in Central and Eastern Europe a pre-positioned European activity set of tanks, infantry-fighting vehicles, artillery and associated equipment needed for one armored brigade combat team.”

Two battalion sets are in Europe now, and a third will arrive shortly, he said, adding that NATO also is working to counter challenges such as cyber and hybrid warfare.

“In cyberspace, we're building on our commitment to strengthen NATO's Cyber Defense Center of Excellence so it can help nations develop cyber strategies, critical infrastructure protection plans, and cyber defense posture assessments,” the secretary noted.

Strengthening Cyber

Carter asked allies to increase their participation in cyber exercises and encouraged them to work toward meeting NATO's cyber defense targets so all meet the highest standards for cybersecurity.

“To make sure allied nations are prepared to counter hybrid warfare, we need to understand the tactics, techniques, procedures and resource implications required to do so,” Carter said, adding that he asked NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to make this a priority at the next conference of defense ministers.

In a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission and in a bilateral meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Carter reaffirmed the United States' commitment to Ukraine.

America's support for Ukraine totals $238 million so far in security assistance, the secretary said, and 300 U.S. paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade are in Yavoriv, training the Ukrainian national guard.

Resolute Support

In a meeting with Afghanistan's defense minister-designate, Acting Minister Masoom Stanikzai, and in a meeting of NATO’s Resolute Support mission, Carter said, he reiterated the shared commitment to helping Afghanistan ensure that gains made over a decade of war will endure.

US Air Force mulls plans to replace Russian rocket engines

Source : http://uk.reuters.com

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A U.S. Air Force competition to develop a rocket propulsion system to end dependence on Russian rocket engines drew broad response from companies, the Air Force said on Friday.

“There is interest,” Lt. General Samuel Greaves, who heads the Air Force’s Space and Missiles Systems Center, said during a webcast hearing of the House Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

Russia’s RD-180 engines power the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rockets that fly most of the military’s satellites. The Air Force hopes for at least two public-private partnerships to end reliance on those engines.

ULA is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing.

Congress has banned imports of the RD-180 as part of trade sanctions against Russia for its involvement in Ukraine.

“We do not have the capability within the United States today to replace (the RD-180) engine, so whatever we come up with will be a new engine,” Greaves said.

The Air Force intends to divide $160 million in seed funds among four companies before the end of 2015. After 12- to 18-month study contracts, two systems would be selected for development. Initial proposals were submitted this week.

Part of the military’s space launch conundrum could be resolved by the certification last month of privately owned Space Exploration Technologies’ (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket.

About 60 percent of the military’s satellites are the right size and mass to fly on Falcon 9, with a heavier lift Falcon that could handle the full lineup of military spacecraft expected to debut this year, SpaceX Senior Director Jeff Thornburg said.

SpaceX, owned and operated by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, and Blue Origin, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, already are working on methane-fueled rocket engines.

The Air Force’s solicitation also brought proposals from AeroJet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc, which is working on an Atlas 5 engine replacement called the AR1, and from Orbital ATK, which is proposing solid-fuel and liquid propulsion systems, the companies said.

Estimates to replace the Atlas rocket engine range from $200 million for an AR1 to $800 million for Blue Origin’s BE-4, ULA president and chief executive Tory Bruno said.

Czech Military To Make New Acquisitions As Spending Rises

Source : http://www.defensenews.com

WARSAW — Lt. Gen. Josef Becvar, the chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, has announced plans to acquire new armored personnel carriers (APCs), cannons, multi-purpose copters, radars, as well as personal weapons and gear for Czech troops, reports local news agency CTK.

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"We will probably buy [new weapons and equipment] this year," Becvar said. The country's increased defense budget will allow finance new acquisitions for the Czech military, according to the general.

Becvar said that the purchases will include new personal weapons and other gear for Czech troops; during the past few years, there have been no available funds for such acquisitions.

Czech Minister of Defense Martin Stropnicky confirmed these plans, and said that the armed forces require an overhaul with new technologies, as they continue to increase activities on foreign missions and joint military drills with allies.

"Our funds are currently at a reasonable level," Stropnicky said.

The Visegrad Four group, consisting of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, has agreed to set up a joint European Union battlegroup, which is to be on stand-by in the first half of 2016. On April 23, defense ministers from the four countries adopted the Action Plan of the Visegrad Group Defense Cooperation, a strategic document which indicates that the V4 states aim to develop their defense capabilities in the fields of training and exercises, logistics support and special operations, among other areas.

Russia always knew that US missile defense was aimed against it and China — security chief

Source : http://tass.ru

ULAN-UDE, June 25. /TASS/. Russia has always known that the US missile defence system is directed against it and China, and now this is confirmed, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said. "We did know that it [missile defence system] was aimed, first and foremost, at Russia and China, but these events, which are taking place now, confirm this," he said.

"We cannot but respond to the threats emanating [from NATO]," Patrushev told reporters.

Patrushev noted that NATO was approaching Russia’s border incorporating some former Soviet republics. "NATO has approached our borders, it is in close proximity to us," he said.

Patrushev added that when creating elements of its missile defence system in eastern Europe the United States said that the aim was the protection from the threat posed by Iran. "Now the attitude towards Iran has changed, it maintains bilateral relations with Tehran, and a group of six world powers is working with Iran," he noted, adding that in this connection it would be logical to abandon plans to build the costly missile defence system. However, this is not happening.

Russia's Advanced S-400 Systems Could 'Neutralize NATO Airpower'

Source : http://sputniknews.com

Russia plans to boost air defense along its Western border by deploying a number of modern S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S air defense systems as part of the country's large-scale program to modernize its military by 2020 and apparently in response to NATO's ongoing saber-rattling.

The S-400 "deployment in greater numbers along Russia's borders with NATO could challenge the latter's ability to achieve air dominance in the event of a conflict with Moscow," Zachary Keck said in an article titled "Watch Out, America: Russia Sends Super Advanced S-400 to NATO's Borders."

Russia's next-generation anti-aircraft weapon system can engage all types of aerial targets including aircraft, drones and ballistic and cruise missiles within the range of 250 miles at an altitude of nearly 19 miles.

The S-400 is equipped with three different types of missiles and is fitted with a radar that is capable of tracking up to 300 targets within the range of over 370 miles.

The brand new air defense system hence challenges the entire Western way of war, which "depends on the achievement of air supremacy," according to Robert Farley.

"At least in the early days of the war, the S-400 and its associated systems could neutralize NATO airpower, undermining one of the central pillars of the Western way of war," he wrote in a piece for the National Interest, adding that "NATO forces have not fought against a modern, capable air defense system in a very long time."

Baltic Fleet Khmelevka completed Baltic derby-2015

Source : http://function.mil.ru

For five days during the competition "Baltic derby-2015", which took place at the site of the Baltic Fleet Khmelevka (Kaliningrad region), the crews of 17 BTR-82A in the team of the Baltic, North, Pacific, Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla demonstrated their professional training .

They had to compete in combat vehicles driving on rough terrain, show mastery of weapons armored vehicles - 30-mm automatic cannon 2A72, coupled with a 7.62-mm machine gun PKTM and personal small arms - Kalashnikov addition, Marines compete in the passage of the route of the popular military-sports games "Race of heroes."

At the end of the team competition the winners of military field training crews BTR-82A "Baltic derby-2015" was the commander of the Pacific Fleet (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky), the second step of the podium also in the Pacific Fleet (Vladivostok), bronze at the North fleet.

Of the crew of the winning team will be formed, which in August will present Marines Navy of Russia in the international competitions that will take place in the Caspian Flotilla.

The championship crews were distributed as follows:

- In-goal exercise driving armored vehicles took first place Seaman Nikolai Ivanov (Pacific Fleet), the second - a sailor Maxim Piskunov (Northern Fleet), the third - Sergeant Maxim Borodulya (Baltic Fleet).

- Shooting from personal firearms, gold armored crew under the command of a junior sergeant Alexei Baykova (Black Sea Fleet), won silver sailor crew Eugene Kharybina (Baltic Fleet), bronze went well and combat vehicle crew under the command of the senior sailor Nikolai Ivanov ( The Pacific Fleet).

- In the competition on physical preparation fastest track "Heroes Race" overcame the crew under the command of an armored personnel carrier of Junior Sergeant Arthur Zinetsa (Pacific Fleet, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky), also took second place crew of the Pacific Fleet (Vladivostok) and the commander of a combat vehicle Sergeant Sergei Razgildeev bronze Marines under the command of the Northern Fleet sailor Maxim Piskunov.

- In the passage of the main distance of 17 crews was the first armored crew under the command of Eugene Voropaeva (Pacific Fleet), the second crew arrived Denis Kolisnichenko (Black Sea Fleet), closed three winners of the crew under the command of Hussein Balashov (Caspian Flotilla).

Note that in the framework of the program of the competition "Baltic derby-2015" included the spirit, goals, objectives and provisions of the "Tank biathlon" in relation to the coastal forces of the Navy, as well as the fundamentals and issues of training of personnel in accordance with the "course of fire fighting machines "and combat training programs for driving armored personnel carriers.

Iran, Russian S-300 Missile System Manufacturer Ink Deal on Innovative Technology Cooperation

Source : http://english.farsnews.com

(FNA)- Iran's Center for Innovation and Technology Cooperation and Russia’s largest defense manufacturer Almaz-Antey signed an agreement to boost industrial and manufacturing cooperation.

The Iranian company and Russia's Almaz-Antey, the manufacturer of the S-300 air defense missile systems, agreed on export of Russia's non-military products to the Iranian market.

"In the first stage, we plan to exchange information and to organize joint meetings of Russian and Iranian industrial companies with their potential customers," Almaz-Antey's deputy director general, Alexander Vedrov, announced on Friday.

He added that Iran has shown interest in integrating innovative Russian technologies in industrial production and airport management.

Almaz-Antey, established in 2002, delivers products to foreign customers through Russia’s state-run arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, as well as operates as an independent entity engaged in military and technical cooperation.

The corporation is the manufacturer of the S-300 air defense system. In 2007, Russia and Iran signed a deal for the delivery of five S-300s, but the agreement was halted by Moscow after the UN Security Council issued an arms embargo on Tehran. In April, Moscow lifted the ban on defense system deliveries to Iran.

Earlier this month, Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli underlined that Russia is fulfilling its commitments concerning the delivery of the sophisticated S-300 missile defense system to Iran.

"The Iranian Defense Ministry is following up the contract on the delivery of the (missile) systems and Russia is also fulfilling its undertaking," Brigadier General Esmayeeli told reporters in Tehran on Friday.

He did not mention the exact date of the delivery of S-300 missile systems to Iran by Russia.

Brigadier General Esmayeeli pointed to Iran's air defense capabilities, and said, "We have made a lot of efforts in this regard and our reliance is on home-made products… ."

In mid-April, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan announced that Tehran and Moscow have worked out an agreement on the delivery of the Russian-made S-300 air defense systems to Iran and are now having final discussions over the date of the delivery.

 “The agreement on the delivery of S-300 missile system has been finalized and the only remaining issue is the date of delivery now,” Brigadier General Dehqan told reporters in Moscow at the time.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 13 removed the ban on the delivery of the missile shield to Iran.

Dehqan said a public announcement will be made as soon as final talks over the exact delivery date end.

On April 15, General Dehqan announced that Iran would receive the S-300 air defense systems from Russia in 2015.

"We will sign the contract for the delivery of S-300 air defense systems with the Russian side during an upcoming visit to Moscow in the current year," Brigadier general Dehqan said prior to his departure to Moscow to take part in 2015 International Moscow Security Conference.

He noted that the Iranian Defense Ministry has studied the details of the S-300 contract and the air defense system will be delivered to Iran before the end of 2015.

On April 14, local media in Russia said Moscow is capable of delivering five S300 air defense missile systems to Tehran in the first stage of their cooperation.

Interfax quoted a senior Russian General as saying that "supplying Iran with the S300 missile system would compensate the geopolitical mistake Russia did during last years".

On April 13, Russia's Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that supplies of the Russian S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran may begin any moment in line with the relevant decree signed by the Russian president.

"The decree stipulates… no delays," Peskov told journalists adding that the second provision of the decree states that "it comes into force on the day it was signed."

After the Kremlin press service made the announcement on Putin's decision for removing the ban on the delivery of the sophisticated missile shield, Tehran welcomed the decision and said it showed Moscow's care for its undertakings.

"The decree came as an interpretation of the will of the two countries' political leaders to develop and promote cooperation in all fields," General Dehqan said before departing for Moscow to discuss the delivery.

Putin's decision was announced hours after relevant reports said the Kremlin also plans to supply China with the advanced S-400 air defense system.

On April 14, Putin said during a meeting with Iran's top security official, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, that his decision set a role model at global class that every nation should remain loyal to its undertakings.

"The decision which was taken today bears this clear message that all countries are necessitated to remain committed to their undertakings," Putin said at the meeting in Moscow .

In January, Tehran and Moscow signed an agreement to broaden their defensive cooperation and also resolve the problem with the delivery of Russia's S300 missile defense systems to Iran.

The agreement was signed by General Dehqan and his visiting Russian counterpart General Sergei Shoigu in a meeting in Tehran in January.

The Iranian and Russian defense ministers agreed to resolve the existing problems which have prevented the delivery of Russia's advanced air defense systems to Iran in recent years.

The two sides also agreed to broaden their defense cooperation and joint campaign against terrorism and extremism.

In 2007, Iran signed a contract worth $800mln to buy five Russian S300 missile defense systems.

But the deal was scrapped in 2010 by the then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who was unilaterally expanding on sanctions against Iran imposed by the UN Security Council.

Iran filed a $4bln lawsuit against Russia in the international arbitration court in Geneva, which is currently pending review.

Moscow has struggled to have the lawsuit dropped, including by offering the Tor anti-aircraft systems as replacement, media reported in August, adding that the offer was rejected by Tehran.

The Antei-2500, however, may be a better solution, the reports said. The system does not formally fall under the existing sanctions against Iran while still being useful for the Middle-Eastern country.

While the S-300 was developed for the use by missile defense forces, the Antei-2500 was specifically tailored for the needs of ground forces, which could also be an advantage for Iran, known for its large land force.

Later, Iran rejected the offer, stressing that it would not change its order.

The S-300 is a series of Russian long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz, all based on the initial S-300P version. The S-300 system was developed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defense Forces. Subsequent variations were developed to intercept ballistic missiles.

The S-300 system was first deployed by the Soviet Union in 1979, designed for the air defense of large industrial and administrative facilities, military bases, and control of airspace against enemy strike aircraft.

In the meantime, Iran designed and developed its own version of the S-300 missile shield, known as Bavar (Belief) 373. The Iranian version has superior features over the original Russian model as it enjoys increased mobility and reduced launch-preparation time